Video: How to make chicken paprikash

Cecilia Kulcsar, from Hungary, shows how to make
paprikas csirke, chicken paprikash.

Kulcsar came to New Zealand in 2005 with her husband Tamas
and they lived and worked in Queenstown for four years before
moving to Papua New Guinea for three years. They returned to
Dunedin three months ago with their 19-month-old daughter
Nina so Tamas could study information technology at Otago
Polytechnic.

This is traditional Hungarian comfort food and Cecilia's
mother used to cook it often when she was a child. It tastes
best made with skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs but it can
also be made with skinless chicken breast.

In Hungary it is usually served with small dumplings, but
here it's easier to serve with rice or potatoes, she says.

If using chicken breasts, cut into small pieces. Heat the oil
in a large pot and when it is hot, add the chicken and sear
it on all sides, stirring. If there is a lot of water in the
chicken, let this evaporate. When the chicken is sizzling and
slightly coloured, remove it from the pot.

Chop the onions finely and add to the oil left in the pot.
Add a little more if necessary.

Cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time until the
onions are softened, translucent and beginning to brown at
the edges. Season with salt and pepper.

When the onion is cooked, add 2-3 Tbsp tomato paste and a cup
of water so it does not burn. Stir in the sweet paprika.

Return the meat to the pot. Stir so it is coated with the
tomato, paprika and onions, then add enough water to cover
it. Add hot paprika or chilli to taste if you wish. Lower the
heat and simmer the chicken for 20 minutes or so. Taste and
adjust seasoning.

Mix the sour cream to a smooth paste with the flour and a
little of the cooking liquid. When the chicken is cooked,
stir in the sour cream and leave for a couple of minutes
before serving with rice, potatoes or small dumplings.

To cook rice Cecilia's mother's way.

Wash the rice and allow to drain. Heat about 2 Tbsp oil in a
pot. Stir in the drained rice and allow to sizzle, stirring
over medium to low heat until the rice is coated with oil and
starting to colour. Be careful not to let it burn.

Add hot water, about twice the volume of the rice. Stir, and
add salt to taste, cover the pot and turn the heat low.
Simmer for about 15 minutes. The water should have mostly
evaporated. Taste the rice to check for seasoning, and to see
if it is done. You can add a little more water if it needs
longer, or take the lid off and allow the water to evaporate
faster if it is done. When all the water has evaporated,
serve the rice with the chicken paprikash.

• Some traditional recipes, especially from eastern Hungary
do not use tomato paste, but she comes from the west where
tomato is more common.

• If you are using chicken thighs with skin on, brown them in
oil for 3-5 minutes on one side, turn carefully so the skin
does not stick to the pan, and brown on the other side for 3
minutes. It is a good idea to use a non-stick pan or bake the
chicken in the oven.

• If using chicken thighs, slice the onion finely instead of
chopping it into small dice.

• Use sweet paprika, not smoked. Hungarian paprika will give
the best flavour.

• Do not add paprika straight to the oil and onions or it
will go bitter. Make sure there is water in the pot first.